by James Dale
"It's okay," Jack smiled weakly. "No one will harm you as long as I can..." Then his vision grew blurry and he collapsed at her feet.
In the harbor, Tarsus and his crew had just finished loading the barrels of wine aboard the Seawolf when a mounted patrol of Norgarthan warriors galloped into view. The cavalry captain and his squad thundered to a halt, quickly surveyed the chaos, then wheeled about and rode back in the direction of the city.
"Time to shove off!" shouted the Amarian. "Those men will have all of Norgarth down here when work reaches King Urgiss!"
"Where's Jack?" Dorad asked coming to Tarsus' side.
"He ran off with a few of the lads," the captain of the Seawolf replied. "Said he was going to check out the warehouses."
"Not with any of the Seawolf's crew he didn't," answered Dorad. "I've had the rest of the crew with me, mopping up on the ship Kreel Ess attacked."
"Damn!" cried Tarsus, slapping the ship's railing. "I knew something like this was going to happen! Can't he stay out of trouble?"
"Lars!" shouted Dorad.
"Sir?" answered the navigator coming to the rail of the Seawolf, wiping sweat from his brow.
"Get the ship ready to sail," instructed Dorad.
"Shove off at the first sign of trouble if we are not back in ten minutes," Tarsus ordered.
"Aye, sir!" Lars nodded. "Ten minutes."
"Come on," Tarsus snarled. "We don't have much time."
He turned and ran down the walk way connecting the trader to its berth. Dorad hesitated for but a second as he grabbed three of the nearest crewmen, then followed his captain. The began a hurried search of the nearest warehouses, some of which were already engulfed in flames, kicking in doors and peering through windows, all the while shouting Braedan's name.
The second building Dorad entered contained the carnage of a slaughterhouse. Three men lay dead amid severed limbs and pools of their own blood and gore. He recognized one as Kreel Ess. The captain of the Ravisher looked like he'd run afoul of a deranged butcher. Beyond the slaughter lay Jack, his head cradled in the lap of a young woman.
"In here!" Dorad cried, bringing Tarsus and the three other pirates running.
The woman looked vaguely familiar to Dorad as she sat stroking Jack's hair with one hand, while holding her torn dress to her body with the other. She had not noticed Dorad's entrance until he called for Tarsus and the others. Seeing five rough looking men entering the building, she snatched Jack's double-bladed knife from its sheath with a low, frightened moan.
"Peace, my Lady," said Dorad, lowering his sword. "We won't harm you."
The young woman's eyes suddenly flew open with startled recognition. "Prince Dorad?" she cried in disbelief. "You must help this brave knight. He was sorely wounded defending my honor."
"Do you know this lass?" asked Tarsus astonished.
"It can't be!" Dorad exclaimed stepping to her side. With a closer look, he indeed recognized the girl, though he had not seen her in many years and could not think of any reason on earthe why she would be here. "Yes," he replied kneeling next to Jack. "This is Thessa Arthol."
"Arthol?" asked Tarsus. "As in the Arthol's of Brythond?"
"As in the daughter of Count Thain Arthol," Dorad nodded.
"I'll be dammed," whispered the Amarian. Thain Arthol was the Prime Minister of Brydium and advisor to King Theros Th'nar, wielder of the Highsword Drangonslayer. Tarsus may have captured a ship full of rare, Brydianic wine, but he realized Braedan had found an even greater prize from that kingdom. "Didn't we hear last year she was..."
"Betrothed to Thonicil Th’nar, Prince of Brydium," Dorad finished. "What happened to him My Lady?"
"The gallant knight received a mighty blow to his side," the young countess sobbed. "I thought him slain, leaving me to the cruelty of my captors, yet he rose to battle my vile attackers to the death. Please highness, you cannot let this valiant champion perish."
There was a bloody gash on Braedan’s scalp, but it wasn’t deep. Dorad ignored it to lift Jack's mail and gambersome, revealing a large, purple bruise. He touched it lightly and the unconscious man moaned. "He has some broken ribs I think."
"Damn!" the Amarian muttered. "That's all we need!" He removed his sweaty, blood-soaked shirt and began tearing it into strips. He handed several to Dorad who began quickly wrapping them tightly around Braedan's chest.
"Take care of the countess," Tarsus said when he finished. "Me and the boys will carry him."
Dorad retrieved Jack's sword and took the terrified girl by the arm as Tarsus and one of the other pirates lifted him between them, draping his arms over their shoulders. The movement revived Jack into semi consciousness.
"Where's...where's the girl?" he moaned as they carried him from the building.
"Right behind us," Tarsus answered. "Dorad's got her."
"Put me down," Braedan said through clinched teeth. "Bastard broke some of my ribs. If I puncture a lung, you'll kill me."
"Oh no!" the Amarian replied. "Not until we're safely aboard the Seawolf. We’ve wrapped you up tight. You've caused enough trouble for one night."
The group reached the ship without incident.
"I was just about to shove off captain!" Lars shouted above the roaring of the flames. "Some of the warships have been manned and are raising bloody hell out there! They sank the Southwind and perhaps the Blacksail! The other ships are hauling ass out of here!"
"It's time for us to be going as well," he agreed. "It's getting a bit too hot around here. Heath!"
"Yes captain?" asked the cabin boy running to his captain's side.
"Take the lady and Mister Jack to my cabin and keep them there until we're safely out of here."
"Hell no!" said Jack, struggling painfully out of their grasp. "Take the girl then bring me my bow."
"You're in no shape to fight," Tarsus argued.
"Heath, bring me my bow!" Jack insisted, as a trickle of blood ran down the corner of his mouth.
"Cap'n?" Heath asked.
Tarsus sighed, seeing he would either have to let Braedan have his way or beat him unconscious again. "Go get his bow lad. But first you take the lass to my cabin and lock the door."
"Yes Cap'n. This way m'Lady," he bowed awkwardly, and led the frightened young woman away.
"You'll rip your chest apart if you try to draw that bow," Tarsus warned him, knowing the strength to would take to fire his new Ailfar weapon.
"You let me worry about that," Jack argued. "Just get us the hell out of here."
"Aye, sir," the captain sighed. "But when you kill yourself don't think I will be the one telling Kaiddra."
Dorad helped Braedan over to the mainmast and leaned him against the sturdy wooden beam. In a minute Heath returned with his bow. The boy had a worried look on his face.
"What's wrong?" Jack asked him, each breath bringing new waves of pain.
"Are you gonna be Mister Jack?"
"I'm fine. How's the girl?"
"The countess is just frightened sir, and worried about you."
"Countess?" Jack asked puzzled, looking at Dorad for an explanation.
"That's right," nodded his friend. "It was a shock for me also. She's four hundred leagues from home and in the land of Brydium's enemies."
"Go back there and make sure she stays put Heath," Jack said. "Don't let anyone near that cabin. If anyone tries, come and get me. Better yet, stick your sword in them, then come and get me."
"Yes sir," Heath replied. "Are you sure you're gonna be awright?"
"I'll be fine," Jack lied, managing a smile despite the fire burning his chest. "Get going."
"Don't you worry none," he said running off in the direction of Tarsus' cabin. "I'll protect her."
Braedan leaned against the mainmast of the Seawolf, conserving his strength as the ship pulled away from the burning docks and headed down river. Craning his neck, he peered over the ship's railing to view the destruction caused by the Brotherhood's raid.
Many of the Norgar
than warships anchored across the harbor were in flames. It was hard to tell exactly how many were burning, but it appeared to be a great number. The surprise attack seemed to be a success. If they could only escape, that is. They passed a ship in the middle of the river completely engulfed in flames and listing badly to port. Whether it was a member of the assault force or one of the Norgarthans, Braedan could not be sure.
They sailed on for about a quarter hour without incident. Just when it seemed the Seawolf, the last of the pirate's armada to leave the burning port, was about to escape unscathed, they passed the bend in the river where the patrol boat had been sunk and were confronted by a large man'o'war. A flight of arrows struck the Seawolf as it sailed by and Braedan could hear screams all along the length of the ship. It was answered by a volley from the pirate archers but their shafts fell harmlessly on the heavily armored Norgarthan vessel.
The warship's oars dipped into the river to give chase, at the same time it fired long, steel tipped javelins into the Seawolf. One of the deadly bolts struck Laurel the helsman, pinning him to the ship's wheel and the Seawolf veered towards the Norgarthan warship. It closed quickly, firing another volley and more pirates died.
"Judas Bloody Hell," Jack groaned and picking up his bow, made his way to the quarterdeck where Tarsus was struggling to pull Laurel off the wheel and regain control of the ship.
"Leave him!" he shouted at the Amarian. "We'll all die if we don't slow those bastards down!"
"Right!" Tarsus nodded. "See if you can feather their damn drummer without killing yourself and I'll man the borelstrades!"
The Norgarthan warship pulled within twenty yards of the struggling pirate ship and Braedan easily spotted the man giving the oarsmen their rhythm. He notched an arrow, wishing he hadn't strung the recurve so tightly, and fired. The shaft did not fly straight because of the excruciating pain in his chest, but it still struck the man in his leg and he stopped pounding the beat. At the same time, Tarsus fired a volley of javelins from the Seawolf's borelstrades and one of the spears embedded itself in the chest of their helmsman, hurling him over the side of the warship. The Man'o'war slowed, then began to drift and the Seawolf started to gain some distance on the Norgarthan vessel.
"That ought to give us a little time!" Tarsus shouted.
He was wrong.
On the deck of the Norgarthan warship, a black robbed figure suddenly appeared. Braedan knew instinctively he was one of the sorcerers Cullen ErMael had spoken of. A foul darkness radiated off him like waves of heat shimmering over hot desert sand. The sorcerer raised his hands above his head and clapped them sharply together. A sharp clap of thunder rumbled across the water and the warship surged after them in pursuit as its sails were instantly filled with wind.
"Kill him!" Tarsus shouted. "Kill him or we are all flaming dead!"
Though the sight of the man sickened Braedan, he notched another arrow and launched it at the sorcerer. The black robed figure waved his hands and the steel tipped shaft seemed to strike an invisible wall of air inches short of its target, then drop to the deck at his feet. The sorcerer grinned and the warship pulled even with the Seawolf.
"We're dead," Tarsus sighed, drawing his broadsword.
"Not yet," Braedan shouted, dropping his bow. From his sword belt he unhooked a M67 fragmentation grenade, forgotten until this moment. "Let's see if his magic is stronger than mine," he whispered.
Summoning the last of his strength, Braedan pulled the safety pin free from the grenade and heaved it at the sorcerer, aiming for his head. He waved his hands once again, and just as the arrow had before, it struck an invisible wall and fell to the deck at his feet. The sorcerer smiled triumphantly and raised his arms. A red ball of pulsing energy formed in the air above him, but before he could hurl it at the Seawolf, the grenade at his feet exploded. The dark power summoned by the sorcerer combined, with the C-4 plastique of the grenade, detonated with such force the entire rear deck of the man'o'war disappeared in a blinding fire ball of red flames. Braedan was lifted off his feet by the tremendous concussion. Hurtling through the air, he had an instant to think, 'Bet he didn't expect that,' then darkness enfolded him.
Chapter Thirteen
Thessa of Brythond
Braedan slowly opened his eyes to find light streaming in through the round window of his cabin. He tried to sit, but fire gripped his chest at the slightest movement and his head began pounding like a drum.
"You're alive," a relieved voice said.
"I think the jury's still out on that," he moaned, turning find Doard sitting at his beside. He couldn’t decide which hurt worse, his broken ribs or his pounding head. "How long have I been out?”
"Two days," answered his friend.
"Two days?” He must have suffered a concussion when the grenade exploded at the feet of the… “Then we've left the gulf?” Braedan asked, struggling to sit up despite his injuries. “Are the Norgarthans following?"
"No. We were not being followed,” Dorad replied. “The scuttled ships blocked the river as planned. The Brotherhood has won a great victory. But there was a price."
"Kaiddra?" Jack whispered, fear clinching his heart.
"Relax my friend," Dorad smiled. "She is well. The Huntress was damaged but managed to sail out of the gulf. Kaiddra was by your side all day yesterday until duty and Tarsus sent her away. But we lost the Southwind for sure. The Blacksail and the Ravisher are also missing. Captured or destroyed we cannot say."
"I killed Kreel Ess," Jack said quietly, laying back and closing his eyes as memories came flooding back.
"No great loss," Dorad shrugged. "He will not be missed by many in Brimcohn. However, as to how he died and why...I think we should keep that to ourselves for the time being. He was lost in the raid. That's all anyone has to know. You also saved the Seawolf. By magic Tarsus claims. That is the tale I would like to hear."
"We can talk about that later," Jack replied. "There was a girl."
"A girl?" chuckled the former prince. "If you had not been sorely injured, I think Kaiddra would have killed you herself. She is quite…upset with you, risking your life for another woman, even if she happens to be a countess."
"A countess?" Braedan asked. "I guess my memory is a little fuzzy."
"She is not just any countess," Dorad continued. "She is Thessa Arthol, daughter of Count Thain Arthol, Prime Minister of Brydium and betrothed of Prince Thonicil, only son of King Theros of Brydium. She is also someone I would rather not have found in Norgarth. Her appearance in Brim-cohn is going to cause...problems."
"Problems?" Jack asked. "How?"
"She is a great prize," Dorad sighed. "From a pirate's point of view. The daughter of a Prime Minister, pledged in marriage to the heir of one of the strongest kingdoms of the west. The council will expect you to ask a large ransom for her. Demand it most likely. The problem is she's your prize, not the councils."
"Mine?" Jack whispered, trying to make sense of it all. His head was really pounding.
"Yours," Dorad nodded. "To do with as you please. You’ll recall the council granted the captains and lieutenants of the raid the choice of selecting one item of loot? You made your choice when you killed Kreel Ess."
"Judas Bloody Hell."
"Indeed," nodded Dorad.
"How did she..." Braedan started. "What was she doing in Norgarth?"
"A harrowing tale," Dorad admitted. "I will let her recount it if you feel strong enough for a visitor."
"Sure," Jack sighed. “If you can get me something for my ribs. And my head. I feel like I’ve been beaten with a sledge hammer.”
"I will get Rhonn to make you something for the pain," said Dorad, standing and walking to the cabin door. "Jack?"
"Yes?"
"The Free Brothers of the Sea have not robbed me of all sense of duty...and I know you are an honorable man."
"And?"
"I trust you will make the right choice in this matter," said Dorad. "Prince Thonicil was once my friend. Brydium and Dor
idan have been allies for a thousand years. Seeing Thessa Arthol has reminded me of who I am. I am an Ellgereth."
"I think I understand," Braedan nodded, meeting Dorad's gaze across the room. The former prince wished him to consider only one choice. To defy the council if they demanded a ransom for the countess and to somehow find a way to return her to Brythond.
"I knew you would," Dorad smiled, opening the door and exiting the cabin.
"Why isn't life ever simple?" Jack sighed to the empty room. "Judas Bloody Hell."
Dorad returned a few minutes later with the countess. "Jack, may I present Thessa Arthol, Countess of Brythond." he announced. "Countess, this is Jack Braedan." For the first time in Jack's memory, Dorad actually pronounced his last name correctly.
Seeing her again, Jack remembered in detail his fight with Kreel Ess and his crewmen, and the reason for that duel. Her torn and dirtied gown had been replaced sometime over the last few days with illfitting, nondescript clothing. Her common outfit did little to disguise the fact she was young and beautiful, with short black hair and blue eyes flecked with gold. Her youthful face was open and innocent. Now seeing her up close, without the heat of battle clouding his sense, he realized the only reason anyone would think her a girl was her diminutive size. She stood perhaps only five feet tall, but her body was that of a woman's, full and matured. She would indeed be considered a great prize. In more ways than one.
"If you will excuse me Lady Arthol," Dorad bowed. "I’ll be back soon with your…medicine, Jack." He gave Braedan a reassuring nod, then closed the door behind him